6 Best Dry Shampoos -- and the 2 Worst

Find the best dry shampoo for keeping your hair fresh and voluminous -- and see the ones that aren't worth your time

If you're as busy as we are, you typically don't wash and dry your hair every morning -- after all, it can be a long, arduous process full of waiting, heating and styling. Which is why we don't know what we ever did before the invention of dry shampoo. Talk about an absolute game changer.

Typically, dry shampoos come in spray or powder form, and the best dry shampoos not only soak up oil, they clean hair, water-free, and leave you smelling fresh. Plus, for those of you who have the time to wash your hair every day (or just happen to be a little less tolerant of dirt), dry shampoos give your hair a volume boost. At least, that's what the good dry shampoos do. Not all dry shampoos are created equal -- and our readers can attest to that. In fact, they've been quite vocal about the best dry shampoos that forever simplify their lives, which ones are just alright and which ones fall flat.

This roundup includes the very best and absolute worst of dry shampoos. Keep clicking to see which brands you need to work into your routine and which ones just aren't worth the trouble.

Why: There are a couple of reasons Oscar Blandi Dry Shampoo did not make the best dry shampoo list, but the main one was that reviewers felt it wasn't worth the effort or cost.

Reviewers agree that the overpowering smell, relatively high price and dandruff-like residue the product leaves on hair make this stuff "a total waste." One reviewer points out, "[It] kind of defeats the purpose when I have to wash my hair to get the white powder out." Another disappointed user reports, "It didn't make my hair feel clean. It felt dirty, plus a bit dry and, well, crunchy."

Why: If our memory of high school math serves us, 3.4 is a flunking score -- and in the case of Tresemmé Fresh Start Volumizing Dry Shampoo, it seems well-deserved, meaning it didn't make our list of the best dry shampoo. More than 120 reviewers weigh in on the product, 50 of whom give it 1 star out of 10. Readers complain that the spray "leaves a sticky residue on hair" and "doesn't do much to absorb oil." Many readers say that it makes hair even greasier. It may be affordable, but what good is a $6 product if it makes things worse?

Why it's great: One reviewer sums up the pros of this inexpensive dry shampoo, which, at less than $5, is a thrifty girl's dream: It "eliminates oil, reduces grease ... [is] lightweight, adds body, washes out quickly, [is] easy to brush through hair [and] widely available at most drugstores." Sounds like more than enough reasons to name it one the best drugstore dry shampoos.

Although one reviewer reports that the bottle doesn't seem to last very long, many other readers claim that the other dry shampoos they've tried pale in comparison to Dove's cheap dry shampoo. "The others I tried either didn't seem to work or were seriously sticky and could not be brushed out," one user explains. "This does none of that. Everyone should give this a try!"

"It seems to soak up the shine but doesn't leave [hair] matte and gross like other canned dry shampoos," explains another delighted user. "I've tried many spray dry shampoos and none have worked nearly as well as this." One reader criticizes the packaging, citing that when you spray the product, it tends to go rogue. "All of this aside, it's a really great dry shampoo," especially for oily hair, she says.

Why it's great: Umberto Dry Shampoo devotees call this product a "must have." Reviewers overwhelmingly rated this one of the best dry shampoos because it soaks up oil and provides volume -- even if you've only got a few minutes to style your hair. "My hair was a little icky from the warm weather, but I used this dry shampoo, curled my ends and within five minutes my hair was full and bouncy," says a reviewer. This product makes the best dry shampoo list because it is especially great for fine hair -- reviewers say it doesn't weigh fine hair down, but still provides freshness between washes.

Why it's great: Many reviewers say that this is the best dry shampoo because it's the only one they've tried that they "love, love, love." Readers appreciate that the texture is light and "doesn't give you the dreaded 'powdered wig' look." The dry shampoo also "has a mild, pleasant fragrance" that won't overwhelm you throughout the day. One Klorane enthusiast gushes, "Not only does the product get rid of any greasiness, I feel like it really does make my hair look as if I just showered and blow-dried. It seems to add a little volume, too, which is always a plus!" Though this dry shampoo is slightly pricier than others, it makes our best dry shampoo list because it does "exactly what it says." Can you ask for more?

Why it's great: This is the "best stuff around," says one satisfied reviewer. "It seriously makes my hair look like it's just been washed," she adds. Total Beauty reviewers with dark brown hair say that this product is the best dry shampoo because it doesn't leave any white residue behind. One raven-headed reviewer says that other dry shampoos left her "ultra dark hair" white and weighed down. "I use the Batiste for dark brown hair and it's a miracle worker," she says.

Agree: Ojon is great...used to the love the Oscar Blandi until they came out with the invisible spray, now that's my fave. I also agree with bumble and bumble being pricy but TERRIBLE...it's like a thick, sticky hairspray that you can't even brush out. The only part I dont agree on: Tresemme...this has left an awful terrible white residue that has never absorbed any oil. Dont know how that got number one.